INDIE-ROCKERS Ash are coming to the South to warm up for an incredible tenth appearance at Reading Festival.

The Northern Irish trio will play The Wedgewood Rooms on Albert Road in Portsmouth on Friday, August 28.

On the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough single Girl from Mars, drummer Rick McMurray told Daily Echo online about the band’s new album and their heady days as teenagers and beyond at the top of the charts.

“Girl from Mars was written in 1993, but we held it back for a couple of years while we took our A-levels,” recalled Rick.

“It reached number 11 and we were suddenly on Top of the Pops, which was unbelievable. After that the madness began.”

Talented songwriter-guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick were in the eye of the indie whirlwind that gripped the nation from 1995.

The Downpatrick teenagers worked with producer Owen Morris, which gave them an amazing window on some other great sounds from those times.

“We worked with Owen when he was recording Northern Soul with The Verve and then again when he was finishing (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? with Oasis,” said Rick.

“They all knew they had an era defining record before it was even finished.”

Meanwhile, the lads’ own brilliant debut album 1977 was a number one smash in 1996.

But they didn’t always feel comfortable being badged as Britpop.

“As we were from Northern Ireland we sometimes felt detached from that, plus we’ve always been influenced by America bands like Nirvana,” said Rick.

After their second album, Nu-Clear Sounds, the band bounced back with their number one hit Free All Angels in 2001. That spun out six hit singles and won Tim an Ivor Novello award for Shining Light.

“We had realised we needed to make another big album,” explained Rick. “The success of Free all Angels is a big reason why we’re still around today.”

The band’s famous resolution in 2007 to stop making new compilations has fortunately been broken with this year’s release of Kablammo!

“We definitely felt some pressure making a new album after so long. We knew this one had to live up to the songs our fans love the most” said Rick.

“It was also the first time we really looked back and tried to compete with what we achieved with 1977.”

Recorded in New York, Kablammo! is a tremendous mix of high intensity guitars, bass and drums, some string sections and Tim’s terrific melodies and lyrics. These are classic Ash guitar and drum songs.

And The good news is that there are still more tunes to come.

“Tim wrote about 30 songs and we’ve recorded 18, so there are at least six other tracks kicking about for next year,” revealed Rick.

“We're making up for lost time.” he laughed.

The band first sold out Southampton Guildhall in May 1996. They played a storming set at this year’s Isle of Wight festival, which also doubled up as Rick’s post-wedding stag do.

One of the band’s most astonishing memories was an eve of poll rock concert before the historic Good Friday Agreement referendum in 1998.

Tim and the rest of the band stood centre stage with Nobel Peace Prize winning politicians John Hume and David Trimble to appeal for the Yes vote in Northern Ireland at a time when the result was too close to call.

“We’d grown up during The Troubles and joining a band was a form of escape from it all. The agreement seemed the best chance for something positive to happen” said Rick.

“I guess we stuck our necks out, but we’ve never had any flack about taking part” he added.

Now Ash are coming back to Portsmouth. One of the best live groups around is still at the top of their game.

Before The Wedgewood Rooms Ash play an exclusive acoustic set with an in-store signing at Pie & Vinyl on Castle Road, Portsmouth at 6.30pm on Friday August 28; visit www.pieandvinyl.co.uk.

By Richard Derbyshire